A cross shaft joint of a vehicle includes: a cross shaft provided on a power transmission path; a first yoke rotatably supporting a pair of the four shaft portions; and a second yoke rotatably supporting a pair of the four shaft portions. The cross shaft includes a lubrication hole passing through the inside of each of the four shaft portions and which is in communication with a shaft end of the each of the four shaft portions. The lubrication hole is formed at a position more distant, than a corresponding one of the two axes, from a position in a corresponding one of the four shaft portions to which a torque from the drive power source is transmitted through a corresponding one of the first and second yokes.

A cross shaft joint of a vehicle includes: a cross shaft provided on a power transmission path; a first yoke rotatably supporting a pair of the four shaft portions; and a second yoke rotatably supporting a pair of the four shaft portions. The cross shaft includes a lubrication hole passing through the inside of each of the four shaft portions and which is in communication with a shaft end of the each of the four shaft portions. The lubrication hole is formed at a position more distant, than a corresponding one of the two axes, from a position in a corresponding one of the four shaft portions to which a torque from the drive power source is transmitted through a corresponding one of the first and second yokes.

In a method for producing an extruded bearing journal, the bearing journal is extruded in an extrusion tool by means of at least one extrusion punch and, after the extrusion of the bearing journal, reworking of the bearing journal is performed in order to improve the cylindricity of the bearing journal at least over a section of the longitudinal extent of the bearing journal. During the reworking, the bearing journal is arranged, at least over a section of its longitudinal extent adjoining its free end, in a cavity that is delimited in a radial direction of the bearing journal by a wall surface surrounding the lateral surface of the bearing journal, and a reworking punch which is movable in the longitudinal direction of the bearing journal is moved toward the free end of the bearing journal and is pressed against the face surface of the bearing journal and, in this way, a plastic deformation of the bearing journal, with a flow of material of the bearing journal, is effected.

In a method for producing an extruded bearing journal, the bearing journal is extruded in an extrusion tool by means of at least one extrusion punch and, after the extrusion of the bearing journal, reworking of the bearing journal is performed in order to improve the cylindricity of the bearing journal at least over a section of the longitudinal extent of the bearing journal. During the reworking, the bearing journal is arranged, at least over a section of its longitudinal extent adjoining its free end, in a cavity that is delimited in a radial direction of the bearing journal by a wall surface surrounding the lateral surface of the bearing journal, and a reworking punch which is movable in the longitudinal direction of the bearing journal is moved toward the free end of the bearing journal and is pressed against the face surface of the bearing journal and, in this way, a plastic deformation of the bearing journal, with a flow of material of the bearing journal, is effected.

A universal joint (U-joint) dismantling tool includes an actuator coupled to a yoke. The yoke has two substantially parallel legs, spaced to form a pull channel therebetween. Each yoke leg terminates in a free end defining a foot surface. The actuator is adapted to substantially linearly draw a puller at least partially along a length of the yoke pull channel, thereby increasing a distance between a pull surface and the yoke foot surfaces.

An axle system (150) for a vehicle comprises: —a differential unit (10) including a first housing (24) and a second housing (20) which rotationally receives at least part of said first housing; —at least one drive shaft (11) having one end configured to be connected to a wheel of the vehicle and one end connected to the differential unit (10) and rotationally received in the first housing (24), the drive shaft (11) including at least one joint (110) connecting two portions (114a, 114d) of the drive shaft (11) to transmit rotary motion between said portions; —a first bearing (30) secured around the drive shaft (11), placed between the drive shaft and the first housing (24), having an outer diameter (D30) smaller than the radial dimension (D) of the joint (110); —a second bearing (40) placed between the first housing (24) and the second housing (20); —at least one tightening member (50) to axially lock the first bearing outer ring (32) relative to the first housing (24). The tightening member comprises at least one manoeuvring portion (51) which is arranged in an offset relation relative to the joint (110), when looking axially towards the differential unit (10), so that the tightening member manoeuvring portion (51) is visible and accessible, at least during a tightening phase of an axle system mounting process.

An axle system (150) for a vehicle comprises: —a differential unit (10) including a first housing (24) and a second housing (20) which rotationally receives at least part of said first housing; —at least one drive shaft (11) having one end configured to be connected to a wheel of the vehicle and one end connected to the differential unit (10) and rotationally received in the first housing (24), the drive shaft (11) including at least one joint (110) connecting two portions (114a, 114d) of the drive shaft (11) to transmit rotary motion between said portions; —a first bearing (30) secured around the drive shaft (11), placed between the drive shaft and the first housing (24), having an outer diameter (D30) smaller than the radial dimension (D) of the joint (110); —a second bearing (40) placed between the first housing (24) and the second housing (20); —at least one tightening member (50) to axially lock the first bearing outer ring (32) relative to the first housing (24). The tightening member comprises at least one manoeuvring portion (51) which is arranged in an offset relation relative to the joint (110), when looking axially towards the differential unit (10), so that the tightening member manoeuvring portion (51) is visible and accessible, at least during a tightening phase of an axle system mounting process.

A cross shaft joint includes a cross shaft including four shaft parts, needle rollers rolling on outer peripheral faces of the shaft parts, bearing cups each having a cylindrical part, and a bottom part, and externally fitted to the shaft parts via the needle rollers, and yokes provided with bearing holes into which the bearing cups are inserted. The needle rollers are maintained in a tight fit state between the shaft parts and the bearing cups. Each cylindrical part is provided with a projected part projected radially inward of the cylindrical part in a curved shape, at an inner peripheral side thereof, and an apex of the projected part is in contact with the needle roller within a range in an axial direction of the needle roller, the range containing an axial center of the needle roller in the axial direction.

A cross shaft joint includes a cross shaft including four shaft parts, needle rollers rolling on outer peripheral faces of the shaft parts, bearing cups each having a cylindrical part, and a bottom part, and externally fitted to the shaft parts via the needle rollers, and yokes provided with bearing holes into which the bearing cups are inserted. The needle rollers are maintained in a tight fit state between the shaft parts and the bearing cups. Each cylindrical part is provided with a projected part projected radially inward of the cylindrical part in a curved shape, at an inner peripheral side thereof, and an apex of the projected part is in contact with the needle roller within a range in an axial direction of the needle roller, the range containing an axial center of the needle roller in the axial direction.

The drive shaft (1) comprises end universal joints (5, 7) with accident-preventing end protections (19). Each accident-preventing end protection comprises a lubricant reservoir, delimited radially inwardly by a sleeve (63) of an inner fork (23) of the respective universal joint (5; 7) and radially outwardly by a rigid annular structure of the accident-preventing end protection.